The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-02-10


Funny how thirg 60 happen in this worldi
must tell Celia"
Feeling for the valentine, which had been |
tucked in the same pocket with Miss Smiths |
communication, he was soon carrying out all |
plans to perfection-dropping 1t upon the |
step and running to o hiding-place after |
violent ring at the bell--not so far, either,
but that he saw the door opened and heard
cry of surprise, which he recognized as
Cela's. Waiting moment, he came in, with
great deal of bluster over the cold and
snow.
80 Jamie, the queerest thing! !" cried Celia,
meeting him at the door, her eyes wildly
bright and bit Of paper waving in her
hand. "Someone rang the door-bell and left
this on the doorstep, addressed to me-'Miss
CHI Smith'-as grownup like as you please!
OF course / thought twas valentine, so /
opened it, and what do you thinka There
was queer, printed slip Of paper telling
the national bank to pay me $l,500-did you
ever hear of such thing."
''Mercym cried Jamie, -"struck all Of a
heap" as he afterward expressed it, and
catching the draft from her hand. "rve
made mistakel rTain't yours. Gracious!
they may be after me with the officers for
this. How could be SO careless"
There was nothing to do now but let out
the whole secret and explain the mistake.
"And to think I've left that sour old maid
your pretty valentine and takeu her money
after knocking her down on the street,
too. o dear! its too funny" and over
wrought Jamie burst into peal Of laugh
ter: then checked himself to add soberly:
"But it may be more fun than I'd like II she
finds out and sends the officers after me be-
fore can get bsckw
In, ,ryht htnS n
dread that Celia was quite bewildered, but
when she did fully understand, her terror
was greater than his.
80, hurry, Jamie, hurry and take 1t back
to her!" she cried almost pushing him into
the street. ''Ill keep your supper warm,
but do-do go at once!' and, grumbling at
his own stupidity, he obeyed.
Upon asking to see Miss Smith, q few min
utes later, he was conducted to cozy apart
ment back Of the drawing-room he had seen,
and before the servant could speak, after
lifting the portiere, had an instant's glimpse
of that lady, with ear-bedimmed eyes, sit
ting before the tiled fire place, the lost val
| entiue in her hand. She turned impatiently,
| swell. Johns" and, as Jamie blunderingly
explained matters, looked from him to the
| valentine and back again with a puzzled
and-could it be-even disappointed look
upon her face. It wasn't possible that she
would rather have that bit of perfumed.
perforated paper, with its lines about
| 'sroses' and s'posies" and cloves" and
| ''doves," than draft for 81 800, but it GER
| tainly looked so!
Her face did not, however, retain its
sourest look as she asked: "Aren't you the
boy who ran into me this morning!"
"Yes. ma am" acknowledged Jamie, smi-
ling in spite of himself.
"And now want to rob mel" she said,
scowling at him, but not so ferociously that
he failed to note a suspicious CLEAN in her
| eyes, $50 your name is Smith, she con-
tinued, not giving him time to answer, 'and
your sister has my initials. What is her
given name and vours9'
"Hers is Celia Herbert, ma'am, and mine
is James Gay. Twas named for my faith"
| "What" she turned upon HIM so suddenly
that the boy retreated q step in dsmay.
Cecilia Herbert, James Gay-my name and
hist" and dropping into chair she gazed
at Jamie with eyes that seemed to burn in
her pale face, so piercing and bright they
were. She motioned Jamie to a chair, and,
as the man stepped forward to place it,
turned upon him fiercely.
"John, what are you waiting for' Col"
and John promptly disappeared
Then followed rapid questions and dazed
answers, for how could this lady know
enough to ask:
"Where is your fathera Is he tall, with
brown eyes and mustachel Does his hair
curla Has he tiny mole on the left side Of
his nose1 Are his eyebrows straight and
heavy! Is his hand large and strong-and
does he'' (here her eyes seemed to look
straight into Jamie's souD ''does he wear a
narrow, chased ring on his left little
fingera"
"He-he did, ma'am, but"
ssBut what!"
| ssHe is dead" Jsmie's tone was low and
reverent, but the lady gasped at his words.
Sand your mother!" she whispered.
"Yes, ma 'am-she, too. Celia and I are
all alone"
She arose and tremblingly took Jamie's
hand in hers, while he was surprised tv see
how softened her face seemed.
| "James, this is q strange thing. My name
is Celia Herbert Smith and James Gay
Smith, your father, was my cousin, the
dearest one had. We quarreled, and he
drifted away-I never knew just what be-
came Of him-and to find his children thus
Yes, yes!" she mused, gazing into his face
with far-away eyes, ''it is his very look-so
resolute and proud-how plainly can see
It still! And he gave his little daughter
my name. James, es,"-suddenly recollecting
herself, ,-''where is your sisterl How dc
you livei Who takes care Of you''
81 take care Of us, ma'am, and we live IN
| two snug little rooms with the Huhstodts.
They're very nice folks indeed, and he
works in q brewery and she makes cakes
for parties. We're very comfortably fixed,
ma'am; and, il you please, I'm afraid Cells
will be frightened If stay 50 long. Shell
think I'm arrested suren
Miss c. Il. Smith laughed, and the strained
white look left her face.
81 must get better acquainted with my
cousins and their friends" she said, pleas
antly, "and, to begin with, want you and
Celia to dine with me tonight. Will you
I'll send the carriage for Celia Don't re
fusew as Jamie began to back toward the
door, looking ruefully down at his mud
stained garments.
stJohn will fix all that" she said care
lessly, - she rang the bell, which the mar
answered with celebrity which seemed to
Indicate that he had not been far away
John, please take my cousin, Master Jamei
Smith, to the bathroom and make him pre-
sentable He will dine with me tonight
jamie followed him, in dream, and wa
SO washed and brushed, and whisked ant
perfumed that he scarcely knew himsel
when he once mere descended to tn,
library. 'Twss ics long after this befor
Celia came, her fair hair waving about he
bright, surprised face, and her cheek
flushed with all these strange happenings
Then followed more explanations, ami(
which dinner was annOunced-a dinne
which was like bit OF wonderland to tn
brother and sister with its glitter and fra